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Best Wizards vs. Sixers Game 1 Player Prop Picks (May 23, 2021)

By Russ Joy

Published: May 22nd, 2021 · 1:49 PM EDT

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The top seed in the Eastern Conference will take to the court for the first time this postseason as the Philadelphia 76ers will play host to the eighth seed Washington Wizards.

Let’s take a closer look at the top Wizards vs. Sixers Game 1 player prop picks and make some predictions for this May 23, 2021 NBA Playoffs matchup.

Wizards vs. Sixers Player Props (May 23, 2021)

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to play their first game in a week as the Washington Wizards will meet them head-to-head at the Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia ended the regular season at 49-23, finishing as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in 20 years, when Allen Iverson led the Sixers to their last NBA Finals appearance. This squad, however, is a deeper roster led by MVP finalist Joel Embiid and Defensive Player of the Year finalist Ben Simmons.

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The Washington Wizards finished the regular season at 34-38, which was good for eighth place in the East. They dropped a 118-100 contest to the Boston Celtics in the seventh-place game in the first round of the NBA’s Play-In Tournament, only to bounce back in a 142-115 blowout win over the Indiana Pacers to lock up the final playoff spot in the conference. In that game, Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal combined for 43 points, 19 assists, and 13 rebounds.

Will Philadelphia land the first blow or will the Wizards pull off a huge upset?

 

Russell Westbrook to Record 12+ Rebounds (-158, FanDuel Sportsbook)

Wizards point guard Russell Westbrook plays with reckless abandon at the position in a way that hasn’t been seen since Allen Iverson laced up his sneakers. He’s a walking triple-double whose tenacity on the boards is never in doubt, even when his jumper misses the mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyQrskm06qg

In Washington’s most recent victory over the Pacers, Westbrook only pulled down eight boards, which followed a 14 rebound performance in a loss to the Celtics. Westbrook was sensational on the glass in the final twelve games of the regular season, securing at least twelve rebounds in ten of those twelve games.

If there’s one concerning trend with this market, it’s that Westbrook was held to single-digit rebounds in two meetings against the Sixers and eleven boards in the second meeting of the season. While that would otherwise provide important context, we’d advise riding the trend that’s developed over his last 14 games and take the over.

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Joel Embiid to Record Over 44.5 Combined Points and Rebounds (-110, BetMGM)

To use Joel Embiid’s final two games of the season as anything indicative of a useful sample size to evaluate this market would be doing the MVP finalist a disservice. In those games, Embiid averaged just under 24 minutes per game in a game against the Miami Heat that was a clear loss early and a 25-point blowout win over the Magic to lock up the top seed. Even Embiid’s prior contest in a double-digit win against the Pistons saw him rack up 29 points and six rebounds in 22:51 of action.

In the first four games he played in the month of May, Embiid averaged 29.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. In that stretch, Embiid went over 44.5 combined points and rebounds three times.

In his first two meetings with the Wizards, Embiid put up a performance of 29 points, 14 rebounds and 38 points, 8 rebounds. Given the week’s rest, Embiid’s flair for the dramatic, and his ability to dominate the interior of Washington’s defense, the over feels like a solid bet. Plus, the 50% capacity crowd expected at the Wells Fargo Center should certainly help to increase the feeling of a true homecourt advantage.

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Tobias Harris to Record Under 30.5 Combined Points, Rebounds, and Assists

Tobias Harris had himself an All-Star caliber season, but found himself on the outside looking in. His 19.5 points and 3.5 assists per game were the second-most for Philadelphia, while his 39.4 3P% and 6.8 rebounds per game were the third- and fourth-best marks for the Sixers, respectively. However, Harris’ combined points, rebounds, and assists line is higher than his play against Washington this season would indicate.

In three games against the Wizards this season, Harris put together the following performances:

• 12/23/21 v. WSH: 10 PTS (3-13), 8 REB, 0 AST (18 Total)
• 1/6/21 v. WSH: 19 PTS (8-16), 7 REB, 3 AST (29 Total)
• 3/12/21 @ WSH: 14 PTS (7-12), 8 REB, 3 AST (25 Total)

In fact, in Harris’ final 13 games, he crossed the 30.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists threshold just twice. In his last six games, he crossed the line just once. Harris will play a vital role in this series, but we’d advise taking the under on 30.5 combined points, rebounds, and assists.

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